Apparatus for marking knitted fabric



July 21, 1970 F. P. TRUMPIO 3,521,469

APPARATUS FOR MARKING KNITTED FABRIC Filed Oct. 1, 1968 4 Sheets-Sheet 1 INIIENTOR! FRANK P TauMmo BYWMJ @4 9 ,ZMM;

ATTORNEYE July 21, 1970 F. P. TRUMPIO 3,521,459

APPARATUS FOR MARKING KNITTED FABRIC Filed Oct. 1, 1968 4 Sheeif. s'-Sheet 2 A INVENTOR: FRANK? Tmmwo wmflzzyflga, M 4 Jun ATTORNEYS July 21, 1970 F P. TRUMPIO APPARATUS FOR MARKING KNITTED FABRIC 4 Sheets-Sheet 3 Filed 001.. 1, 1968 July 21, 1970 F. P. TRUMPIO 3,521,469

APPARATUS FOR MARKING KNITTED FABRIC Filed Oct. 1, 1968 4 Sheets-Sheet 4 INVENTOR. FRANK P. TauMplo I W fleas/1% 1! 4 WW ATTORNEYfi United States Patent Office 3,521,469 Patented July 21, 1970 3,521,469 APPARATUS FOR MARKING KNITTED FABRIC Frank P. Trumpio, Gastonia, N.C., assignor to Cocker Machine & Foundry Company, Lowell, N.C., a corporation of North Carolina Filed Oct. 1, 1968, Ser. No. 764,097 Int. Cl. D04b 35/00 US. Cl. 66-147 8 Claims ABSTRACT OF THE DISCLOSURE The fabric produced on a flat bed knitting machine is transversely marked at spaced intervals and these marks serve as a guide for later separation of the fabric into predetermined lengths, which lengths of fabric may be used for forming garments therefrom. A track extends between the end frames of the machine and a carriage is supported on and moves along the track to mark the fabric after a predetermined number of courses have been knit.

This invention relates generally to a fabric marking device for flat bed type knitting machines and more particularly to a fabric marking device which moves across the machine and forms a courseWise-extending line or mark across the width of the fabric after a predetermined length of fabric is knit. The marks are used as a guide to accurately separate fabric into predetermined lengths.

Certain types of flat bed knitting machines, such as two-bed Raschel machines, are currently being used to knit a plurality of lengths of tubular fabric which are then cut transversely at predetermined lengths to form tubular blanks that are used to produce seamless garments, such as hosiery, panty hose, and the like. This knit tubular fabric is usually formed of stretchable yarn so that it is easily stretched. Because of the stretchable character of this tubular fabric, it is difiicult to accurately measure and consistently cut article blanks of the same length therefrom.

With the foregoing in mind, it is an object of the present invention to provide a marking device for flat bed knitting machines which operates to accurately print separating marks or lines across the knit fabric while it is being produced, and which lines serve as a guide for later separation of the knit fabric into predetermined lengths.

It is another object of the present invention to provide a fabric marking device which may be easily attached to a flat bed knitting machine without requiring extensive modification of the machine.

In the preferred embodiment, the marking device includes a track extending between the end frames of the knitting machine and parallel to the path of travel of the fabric as it is maintained under tension and moves from the needles to the take-up means. A carriage is supported for back and forth movement along the track and supports a fabric marking device for engagement with the fabric to form a transverse or coursewise extending line on the fabric as the carriage is moved along the track and from one end of the machine to the other. Pattern control means is provided for controlling movement of the carriage along the track at predetermined intervals; preferably after a predetermined number of courses has been knit.

The marking device of the present invention is of particular utility when used with a two-bed Raschel knitting machine of the type which is set up to knit a plurality of small individual tubes across the width of the needle beds. This type of tubular fabric is presently being utilized to form blanks for use in forming ladies hosiery,

panty hose, tights, leotards, and the like. In some instances, single tubes are alternately knit with pairs of tubes and the continuous length of fabric is transversely cut at the medial portion of each single tube section and at the medial portion of each section of pairs of tubes to form blanks suitable for forming seamless panty hose, tights, leotards, and the like.

Some of the objects of the invention having been stated, other objects will appear as the description proceeds when taken in connection with the accompanying drawings, in which:

FIG. 1 is a fragmentary transverse vertical sectional View through a two-bed warp knitting machine of the Raschel type and illustrating the marking device of the present invention associated therewith;

FIG. 2 is a longitudinal vertical sectional view taken substantially along the line 2-2 in FIG. 1 and illustrating upper portions of opposite end frames with the pattern devices supported thereon;

FIG. 3 is an enlarged isometric view looking at one side of the marking device of the present invention and in the direction of the arrow 3 in FIG. 1; and

FIG. 4 is a side elevational view of the opposite side of the marking carriage from that shown in FIG. 3.

The marking device of the present invention is illustrated as being associated with a two-bed Rashchel type knitting machine of which includes front and rear needle beds 10 and 11 (FIG. 1) which cooperate with the usual yarn guides, not shown, to produce a plurality of fabric tubes 12 (FIG. 2) that are drawn downwardly between front and rear trick plates 13, 14 (FIG. 1) as the fabric is produced by the machine. The fabric tubes 12 are drawn around driven take-up rolls 15, 16, around a guide roll 17, beneath driven guide rolls 18, 19 and are wound onto a take-up shaft 20. The take-up shaft 20 is rotated by a take-up roll 21.

The take-up rolls 15, 16 are drivingly connected to each other by a chain 22 and chains 23, 24 drivingly interconnect the take-up rolls 15, 16 and the driven guide rolls 18, 19. Chains 25, 26 drivingly connect the take-up drive roll 21 to the driven guide rolls 18 and 19 so that the rolls of tubular fabric are rotated in timed relationship to the operation of the machine and are held in a tension condition as they are drawn between the guide rolls 17 and 18. For convenience, the interconnecting drive chains are all illustrated as being positioned at one end of the machine, the chains 23, 24 are positioned at the opposite end of'the machine.

Opposite end frames 30, 31 (FIG. 2) support respective pattern shafts 32, 33 which are rotated in timed relationship with operation of the machine. The pattern shafts 32, 33 support respective pattern chain drums 34, 35 which in turn support respective pattern chains 36, 37. Pattern control means, in the form of a course counter 40, is provided to control the operation of various mechanisms of the knitting machine and is rotated by the pattern shaft 33 (FIG. 2). The course counting device 40 includes the usual electrical switch means, not shown, and the counting device may be set to operate the switch means after the knitting of any predetermined number of courses.

In the present instance, the course counting device 40 is utilized to actuate the marking device at the desired time interval, however, it is to be understood that any other suitable type of device may be utilized for this purpose. For example, the marking device may be actuated by means of the pattern chain 36, or by other conventional pattern control means of the machine.

The present marking device includes track means in the form of a tubular rail 50 which is substantially square in cross-section (FIG. 3) and is supported adjacent opposite ends on the end frames 30, 31. Support brackets 3 51, 52 (FIG. 2) are fixed adjacent opposite end portions of the rail 50 and are provided with respective clamp screws 51a, 52a so that the rail 50 may be clampingly supported in the usual openings a and 31a of the respective end frames 30, 31.

A carriage, broadly indicated at C, is supported for longitudinal movement along the rail and back and forth between the end frames 30, 31 of the machine. As best shown in FIGS. 3 and 4, the carriage C includes a first pair of guide rollers 54, 55 which are supported on a horizontal guide plate 56 of the carriage C and engage one side of the rail 50'. A vertical plate 57 of the carriage C (FIG. 3) is provided with an opening 60 in which a resiliently mounted guide roller 61 is supported to engage the opposite side of the rail 50 and between the points at which the rollers 54, 55 engage the rail 50. The roller 61 is supported in a medial portion of the channel bracket 63, opposite ends of which are supported for sliding movement on the medial portions of screws 64, 65. The inner ends of the screws 64, 65 are fixed in the vertical plate 57. Springs 66, 67 surround the outer portions of respective screws 64, 65 and opposite ends bear against the channel bracket 63 and respective nuts 70, 71. Thus, the roller 61 is resiliently urged against the side of the rail opposite the guide rollers, 54, 55 to provide horizontal support of the carriage C on the rail 50.

A second pair of guide rollers 74, are supported on the vertical plate 57 in spaced apart relationship and engage the upper surface of the rail 50. A guide roller 76 is supported in a medial portion of a channel bracket 77 (FIG. 4) and opposite ends of which are slideably supported on the medial portion of screws 80, 81. The upper ends of the screws 80, 81 are fixed in the horizontal plate 56. The roller 76 and the medial portion of the channel bracket 77 extend through an opening, not shown, in the horizontal plate 56 and springs 82, 83 surround the respective screws 80, 81 and resiliently urge the guide roller 76 into engagement with the lower surface of the rail 50. The roller 76 engages the lower portion of the rail 50 at a point between the points at which the rollers 74, 75 engage the upper portion of the rail 50 so that the carriage C is vertically supported thereon.

A wheel 85 is provided with a porous outer surface and is adapted to contain and supply a suitable marking medium, such as ink or the like. The wheel 85 is rotatably supported on an L-shaped bracket 86 extending downwardly from the vertical plate 57. The supply wheel 85 is rotated by engagement with a marking wheel 90 (FIG. 3) which is rotatably supported on an L-shaped bracket 91 fixed on the bracket 86. The marking wheel 90 is provided with an upstanding hub portion 92, around which a drive line 93 is wrapped (FIG. 3). Opposite ends of the line 93 are suitably connected to the opposite end frames 30, 31 so that as the carriage is moved back and forth, in a manner to be presently described, rotation is imparted to the marking wheel 90 and the supply wheel 85. As shown in FIG. 1, the marking wheel 90 is positioned to engage the surface of each of the fabric tubes 12 as the carriage C moves back and forth between the end frames so that a line is marked or printed transversely of each knit tube 12.

The carriage C is moved back and forth across the machine at selected times by means of a drive cable 95, opposite ends of which are connected to in-turned ear portions 96, 97 on the upper portion of the vertical plate 57 (FIG. 3). From the ear portion 96, the cable extends along and above the upper surface of the rail 50 and passes around a pulley 100 (FIG. 2) which is rotatably supported in an opening 101 (FIG. 3) in the upper surface of the rail 50. The cable 95 extends through the hollow center of the rail 50 and around a drive pulley 102 (FIG. 2) which is positioned adjacent the end frame 31. A reversible electric motor 103 is drivingly connected to the pulley 102 for imparting movement to the drive cable 95 at predetermined intervals, in a manner to be presently described. The drive cable 95 extends beneath a pulley 104 which is rotatably supported in the support bracket 52 (FIG. 2) and the end of the cable 95 is connected to the in-turned ear portion 97.

Microswitches 106, 107 are supported adjacent opposite ends of the rail 50 (FIG. 3) and operate to stop movement of the carriage C and to operate a reversing relay, not shown, which is connected to the electric motor 103. Upon the completion of one marking cycle, the carriage C remains at one end of the machine until the desired length of fabric has been knit to form either a stocking blank or a panty-hose blank and then the switch in the counter device 40 will close to actuate the electric motor 103 to rotate the drive pulley 102 and move the cable 95 so that the carriage C moves to the opposite end frame. With movement of the carriage C, the line 93 imparts rotation to the marking wheel 90 and the ink supply wheel 85 so that a transverse line is printed on each tube 12 as the marking wheel 90 successively engages the same in its movement to the other end of the knitting machine.

When the carriage C reaches the other end of the knitting machine, it will engage the microswitch 107, as shown in FIG. 3, and break the electrical circuit to the reversible motor 103. As the electrical circuit to the motor 103 is broken, the reversing relay is actuated so that the motor 103 will rotate in the opposite direction when it is started. The carriage C remains at this end of the knitting machine until another complete garment blank has been knit and then the course counting device 40 again actuates the motor 103- to move the carriage C to the opposite end of the knitting machine and to again form transverse marks or lines on each of the fabric tubes 12. The course counting device 40 may be set to operate the marking device at'any desired interval so that the knit fabric is accurately marked at the points where it is to be separated.

In the drawings and specification there has been set forth a preferred embodiment of the invention and although specific terms are employed, they are used in a generic and descriptive sense only and not for purposes of limitation, the scope of the invention being defined in the claims.

I claim:

1. In a flat bed knitting machine having spaced apart end frames, knitting instrunientalities extending between said end frames, and fabric take-up means spaced from said knitting instrumentalities and being operable to maintain the knit fabric in relatively flat tensioned condition as the fabric is withdrawn from the knitting instrumentalities, the combination therewith of a fabric marking device comprising:

(a) track means supported between said end frames and extending parallel to and adjacent the path of travel of the fabric moving between said knitting instrumentalities and said take-up means,

(b) carriage means supported for longitudinal movement along said track means;

(c) means connected to said carriage means and being operable at selected intervals to move said carriage means along said track means and between said end frames; and

(d) fabric marking means supported on said carriage means to engage the fabric and form a transverse line on the fabric upon movement of said carriage means along said track means.

2. In a knitting machine according to claim 1 including pattern control means, and wherein said means (c) of said marking device is operable by said pattern control means to control movement of said carriage means along said track means.

3. In a knitting machine according to claim 1 including roller means engageable with said track means, and

means supporting said roller means on said carriage means for resilient engagement with said track means.

4. A fabric marking device according to claim 1 wherein said track means comprises a tubular rail that is substantially square in cross-section, and wherein said carriage means includes first and second pairs of spaced apart guide rollers engaging adjacent sides of said rail, a single guide roller engaging each of the remaining adjacent sides of said rail, said single guide rollers each being positioned opposite and between corresponding ones of said pairs of guide rollers, and means supporting said single guide rollers for resiliently urging the same into engagement with said rail whereby said carriage is supported in both horizontal and vertical directions by said rollers.

5. A fabric marking device according to claim 1 wherein said marking means ((1) comprises an ink supply wheel rotatably supported on said carriage, a marking Wheel rotatably supported on said carriage and in engagement with said ink supply wheel, said marking Wheel being positioned to engage the fabric with movement of said carriage along said track means, and means for imparting rotation to said ink supply wheel and said marking wheel with movement of said carriage.

6. A fabric marking device according to claim 5 wherein said rotation imparting means includes a hub portion on said marking wheel, and a drive line fixed at opposite ends at said end frames and being wrapped about said hub.

7. A fabric marking device according to claim 2, whereand drive means operable by said motor for moving said carriage along said track means.

8. A fabric marking device according to claim 7, wherein said motor is positioned adjacent one end frame of said machine and wherein said drive means includes a drive cable having opposite ends connected to said carriage, an idler pulley positioned adjacent one end of said track means and having said cable entrained thereabout, a drive pulley connected to said motor and having said cable entrained thereabout, and switch means positioned adjacent opposite ends of said track and being operable to stop said motor upon movement of said carriage to either end of said machine, said cable being operable to move said carriage along said track upon rotation being imparted to said drive pulley by said motor.

References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 1,920,337 8/1933 Wooster 33-36 1,967,528 7/1934 Fitzpatrick 33-36 2,508,348 5/1950 Anderson 66147 2,531,649 11/ 1950 Saftlas 66147 2,936,470 5/1960 Meeds 3336- XR 3,012,425 12/1961 Liebrandt 66147 3,105,284 10/1963 Krug 139--291 XR MERVIN STEIN, Primary Examiner US. Cl. X.R. 

